Over our 20 years in business, we have won many awards; typically, these are company awards celebrating the performance of the company or one of its directors. However, we are excited to announce that the most recent award win is for a valued member of the Spectrum team – Helen Love.

At a fabulous awards ceremony in Glasgow last night, one of our valued regional managers, Helen Love, was named a winner in the Special Recognition category at The Herald Family Business Awards.

The Special Recognition celebrates an individual who has shown loyalty and dedication to the family business in which they work. Recognising that companies wouldn’t be where they are without the strong workforce behind them, the judges wanted to hear about an employee who goes beyond the call of duty. It acknowledges their hard work, achievements, and outstanding contributions to their role and the business. The award is intended to highlight an individual who has become “one of the family”, and no one is a more deserving winner than Helen.

Helen began working with Spectrum’s Managing Director, Sara Speirs, even before Spectrum started trading; she was just 16 at the time. In 2003, Sara launched Spectrum, and one year later, Helen followed her to the new and already thriving business. The rest, as they say, is history. Helen quickly rose through the ranks and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the company. She started 19 years ago as a site-based cleaner, then a supervisor, followed by an area manager, and ultimately to her current position of regional manager.

The judges were particularly impressed with Helen’s loyalty and commitment. They could see that she consistently demonstrated initiative in her approach, making sure she did her very best for the company as well as its people and customers.

Helen’s remarkable journey at Spectrum epitomises our core values and family-oriented culture. Her role extends far beyond management; she plays a vital part in training the next generation of Spectrum leaders. She is also adept at onboarding new staff with her warm and welcoming approach, which immediately fosters a sense of belonging, making newcomers feel like part of the Spectrum family.

Further evidence for the judges about Helen’s exceptional commitment was seen in her willingness to take the reins at three new contracts in the South at Leicester, Stockport and Stockton, where she has remotivated the staff working on site and successfully introduced them to the Spectrum culture.

Speaking about Helen’s award, Spectrum’s Operations Director, Rebecca Bell, said: “This is one of the most well-deserved awards of the night; Helen is hugely dedicated to Spectrum and an exemplary member of the team. She is one of the most willing and accommodating people I have met, and her contribution to Spectrum over the years is immense. 

“Helen consistently goes above and beyond, and I’m delighted that she has been recognised in this way; it is thoroughly deserved and will be an inspiration to many of the staff who have worked with her in the past.  

“Thank you for everything you do, Helen; it is a pleasure working with you.”

Here’s what the judges had to say about Helen’s win: “There was one clear winner in this category that the Judges felt deserved the recognition for the commitment they have given to the business in which they work. Their business has shown impressive and sustained growth, and the recipient’s story of working their way up from the shop floor to regional manager over 19 years is inspirational. Our Judges also noted that Helen’s son is following in their footsteps, showing the power of families working within family businesses. A great example that it’s not always just the families who own the business that drive their success.”